Posted By Small Business Editor On January 22, 2013 @ 5:30 am In Technology Trends | 1 Comment

The business tech horizon is morphing again, and as tools and services continue to evolve, so will the possibilities they offer entrepreneurs. What small businesses make of these new tech tools and services depends upon the kinds of products they offer and the customers they are trying to reach. But no matter what markets they serve, businesses will be able to take advantage of these evolving tools to improve efficiency and increase their capabilities.

Mobile Migration

A close call[1]. Research In Motion, a pioneer in the mobile communications market, is soon introducing a new operating system, Blackberry 10, and two smartphones, the Z10 and X10, packed with features that should give both longtime Blackberry fans and potential new business users pause. All of this is expected to be offered at a price below $199 (perhaps around $149), guaranteed to be competitive with other mobile communications options, giving your company more choices than ever. BGR

Getting friendly[2]. It should go without saying that just as your business has more mobile options, so do your customers. Your Web presence, in particular, must be more mobile-friendly to accommodate your audience, and focusing on this should be a top priority. Rieva Lesonsky has some simple solutions that should definitely be on your list of things to consider when preparing your Web presence for a mobile customer base. Don’t lose sales because your Website fails to measure up. Grow Smart Biz

Online Design

Armed to the teeth[3]. Creating the right kind of Web presence requires an arsenal of creative tools, and for entrepreneurs and small business owners using WordPress, the tool box is, indeed, considerable. From familiar plugins to a few you may not have heard about, design and Internet marketing expert Dave Gray takes us on a tour of the 16 WordPress tools he uses most often for spectacular results. BrandAdvance

A gracious host[4]. The last thing you think of when establishing your new business Web presence should probably be the first. Web hosting is not simply about finding the provider with the best reputation or the cheapest price, opening an account, and uploading your site onto a server. We’ve all heard the horror stories about unexpected downtime and security issues that put you and your customers at risk. But there are also other things to consider before deciding which company is the right fit, says guest blogger Claire Broadley. The Frugal Entrepreneur

Intelligent design[5]. Likewise, when choosing a Web designer for your site there are many questions you should ask. Think about how carefully you vet your potential employees before making a final offer. A designer who will hold the fate of your company’s Web presence in his or her hands should be evaluated just as carefully. Here are some questions SEO expert Alex Gavril suggests you answer before letting a designer anywhere near your site. Durham Web Designer

The Latest and Greatest

The paperless trail[6]. Who needs paper? Well, most offices, actually. But as it turns out, most offices and most businesses would be a lot better off if paper was gone. Having less paper in your office “improves efficiency, reduces stress, saves money, and helps the environment” writes blogger Matthew Stibbe, and though going completely without it isn’t quite a reality yet, a number of tech tools from free solutions like Instapaper to paid services like Turbine can help. GetApp Learning Center

Gizmos for geeks[7]. There are plenty of other gizmos out there to improve your business capabilities and efficiency in ways that may be hard to imagine. And even if tools like these might once have been reserved for computer geeks alone, today any business owner can learn the basics. Here online marketing consultant Melissa Fach gives us a look at SnagIt, a tool that helps you screen capture just about anything and adds powerful cropping, drawing, and social sharing features to the mix, too. Small Business Trends